So I may as well blog about something else I've been doing this week. And it helps me write down the recipe while I'm going too.
This week I made lip balm.
Now there are two schools of though with your basic lip balm. There's:
1/3 wax (beeswax, candilla wax, macadamia wax etc)
1/3 soft oils (liquid at room temp)
1/3 hard oils (solid at room temp)
The other school of thought is slightly more complicated:
- 40% oils liquid at room temperature (sweet almond, apricot kernel, avocado, grapeseed, hemp seed, macadamia, olive, sunflower, etc.)
- 25% oils solid at room temperature (coconut, lanolin, palm, mango butter, shea butter)
- 20% Wax (beeswax)
- 15% oils brittle at room temperature (cocoa butter, palm kernel, etc.)
This is paraphrased from: http://www.lemelange.com/lip_balm_recipes.htm
Although I have made lip balms in the long dark distant past, I never made one that was "perfect". So I thought I would once again have a further play.
So the recipe I designed was:
2oz Cocoa Butter
2oz beeswax
2oz jojoba oil
2oz meadowfoam oil
a touch of honey to sweeten
This is:
1/4 solid room temp (cocoa butter)
1/4 wax (beeswax)
1/2 liquid oil at room temp (jojoba and meadowfoam)
Left it completely unflavoured. This produced a softer lip balm, better for tins rather than a tube. Should be very moisturising and perfect for a northern hemisphere winter. Might be a little too soft for summer. Made around 15 x 10ml tins. Its a tweaking of this original recipe: http://www.fromnaturewithlove.com/recipe/recipe.asp?recipe_id=86
So today I'm going to try the other school of thought nd make a flavoured lip balm. My thoughts are:
2 oz. Cocoa Butter
2 oz. Shea Butter
1 oz. Sweet Almond Oil
1 oz. Evening Primrose
1 oz. Jojoba
1 oz. Meadowfoam Oil
1 oz. Beeswax
1 oz Candelilla wax
1/2 tsp. Liquid Vitamin E
20 to 25 drops Flavoring Oil
This is:
40% liquid room temp
20% solid room temp
20% wax
20% brittle
Original recipe from here: http://www.tlcsoaps.com/lipbalm.htm
Should make a slightly firmer recipe. Also the addition of the candelilla wax should give it a shinier finish.
UPDATE: Ok I used apricot oil instead of almond oil and yes it did indeed give a firmer and shinier texture. Fells more like a lipstick where the first batch felt more like a balm or lotion.
I am happy with how both these turned out. Now to label and send off. Later! Gotta finish the cards first :)
Although I have made lip balms in the long dark distant past, I never made one that was "perfect". So I thought I would once again have a further play.
So the recipe I designed was:
2oz Cocoa Butter
2oz beeswax
2oz jojoba oil
2oz meadowfoam oil
a touch of honey to sweeten
This is:
1/4 solid room temp (cocoa butter)
1/4 wax (beeswax)
1/2 liquid oil at room temp (jojoba and meadowfoam)
Left it completely unflavoured. This produced a softer lip balm, better for tins rather than a tube. Should be very moisturising and perfect for a northern hemisphere winter. Might be a little too soft for summer. Made around 15 x 10ml tins. Its a tweaking of this original recipe: http://www.fromnaturewithlove.com/recipe/recipe.asp?recipe_id=86
So today I'm going to try the other school of thought nd make a flavoured lip balm. My thoughts are:
2 oz. Cocoa Butter
2 oz. Shea Butter
1 oz. Sweet Almond Oil
1 oz. Evening Primrose
1 oz. Jojoba
1 oz. Meadowfoam Oil
1 oz. Beeswax
1 oz Candelilla wax
1/2 tsp. Liquid Vitamin E
20 to 25 drops Flavoring Oil
This is:
40% liquid room temp
20% solid room temp
20% wax
20% brittle
Original recipe from here: http://www.tlcsoaps.com/lipbalm.htm
Should make a slightly firmer recipe. Also the addition of the candelilla wax should give it a shinier finish.
UPDATE: Ok I used apricot oil instead of almond oil and yes it did indeed give a firmer and shinier texture. Fells more like a lipstick where the first batch felt more like a balm or lotion.
I am happy with how both these turned out. Now to label and send off. Later! Gotta finish the cards first :)
9 comments:
Lip balm last year was and is still lovely.
I really don't get on well with the flavoured stuffs but the plain, ooh yeah baby!
These both sound fantastic! I live on the stuff, especially now that I've gotten my co-workers used to the fact that I am not going to wear lipstick to work - I hate that stuff. I tried for the first couple of years, then I just stopped. I don't get too many comments anymore....
I could just repeat what Claire said :-) I like mine, still haven't used it up, but have used it at times. I don't often apply any, but especially when going up in the mountains and in the sun there it's a good thing to do.
You want to hear the most ironic part - I don't use the stuff. Ever. Don't wear makeup or cosmetics either unless its a gala or black tie event ...
Only reason I haven't used mine up is because I liked it so much, I wanted to save it for special occasions :)
'both sound good! hmm that reminds me I need to find my tin of lip balm!
Well seeing as I've lost my journal I don't know the recipe for that one .... so its now unique and once its gone, its gone!
Oh well maybe one of the new ones might be nearly as nice ....
I practically LIVE on the stuff - the air in my office is horribly dry all year, and then add in being outdoors in any sort of weather and dealing with sun or windburn...
(no lipstick for me, either, unless it's a formal-type do!)
I love lip balm, but do not wear make-up often either. Our house is so dry in winter that lip balm is essential. Bleeding lips are no fun. Cosmetics on the other hand are just too much fuss and irritate my skin.
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